Counting of votes for Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry and West Bengal will be held on Monday, following a high-voltage campaign, with outcomes crucial for regional players like the TMC and DMK as well as national parties including the BJP, Congress and the Left.
The counting process will begin at 8 am with postal ballots, followed by EVM counting, at centres secured under a three-tier security system. In a first, the Election Commission has introduced a QR code-based Photo Identity Card system through ECINET to prevent unauthorised entry into counting venues.
In West Bengal, votes for 293 Assembly seats will be counted across 77 centres under tight security. The state has seen heightened political tension in the run-up to results, with both the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the opposition BJP raising concerns over possible vote manipulation.
Polling in West Bengal was conducted in two phases and concluded on April 29, recording a voter turnout of 92.47 per cent—the highest since Independence. The election in Falta constituency in South 24 Parganas district was countermanded due to “severe electoral offences,” with fresh polling scheduled for May 21.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC is aiming for a fourth consecutive term, facing a strong challenge from the BJP. The CPI(M) and Congress are seeking to regain political ground after their rout in 2021, while smaller parties such as Humayun Kabir’s AJUP and Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM are also contesting in select pockets.
The Election Commission has reduced the number of counting centres in the state to 77 from 87 earlier announced, and 108 in 2021, while putting in place a multi-layered security grid. “Comprehensive security arrangements have been made to ensure that counting is conducted in a peaceful, transparent and orderly manner,” a senior EC official said.
The poll body has deployed 165 additional counting observers and 77 police observers, along with strict access control measures, including a ban on mobile phones inside counting centres except for returning officers and observers.
In Assam, the BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term. Votes for 126 Assembly constituencies, involving 722 candidates, will be counted at 40 centres across 35 districts.
A total of 25 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed to guard counting centres and strong rooms housing EVMs, with two additional companies on static duty. Additionally, 93 companies of state armed police have been deployed across districts.
Polling in Assam was held on April 9, recording a turnout of 85.96 per cent. Among the candidates, the Congress fielded 99 nominees, followed by the BJP with 90, AIUDF with 30, NDA ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) with 26, and Bodo Peoples’ Front (BPF) with 11.
Other opposition alliance members include Raijor Dal contesting 13 seats, Assam Jatiya Parishad 10, CPI(M) three, and All Party Hill Leaders Conference two. Key candidates include Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi.
In Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is hoping to unseat the Left Democratic Front (LDF), which has been in power for two consecutive terms, while the BJP-led NDA is looking to expand its footprint in the state’s bipolar political landscape.
A defeat for the LDF would mark the first time since the 1960s that Left parties are not in power in any Indian state. A total of 883 candidates contested the 140 Assembly seats.
Counting will take place at 140 centres across 43 locations, with 15,464 personnel deployed, including 140 returning officers, 1,340 additional returning officers, 4,208 micro observers, 4,208 counting supervisors and 5,563 counting assistants. Twenty-five companies of central forces have been deployed alongside state police.
In Tamil Nadu, the ruling DMK is seeking a second consecutive term in a contest that includes its traditional rival AIADMK as well as new entrants like actor-politician Vijay’s TVK and Tamil nationalist Seeman’s NTK.
Counting will take place at 62 centres under a comprehensive three-tier security plan, Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik said. Around 1.25 lakh personnel, including officials, micro-observers and police, have been deployed.
A total of 234 counting halls have been set up for EVMs and 240 additional halls for postal ballots and electronically transmitted postal ballots (ETPBs). As many as 10,545 counting personnel and 4,624 micro-observers have been deployed. The Election Commission has also appointed 234 counting observers—one for each constituency.
In Puducherry, six counting centres have been set up. The NDA, comprising AINRC, BJP, AIADMK and LJK, faces the INDIA bloc of Congress, DMK and VCK.
Counting will also be held for bypolls in eight Assembly seats across Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland, Tripura, Gujarat and Maharashtra, necessitated by the death of sitting MLAs.
The constituencies include Ponda in Goa; Bagalkot and Davanagere South in Karnataka; Koridang in Nagaland; Dharmanagar in Tripura; Umreth in Gujarat; and Rahuri and Baramati in Maharashtra.
The counting exercise across states is expected to determine key political trajectories for both regional and national parties.
